Method and system to recommend insurance plans

Abstract

A system and method are provided to recommend at least one insurance plan (e.g., a health insurance plan) to a user via a computer network. In an embodiment, the method includes presenting at least one question to a user via a client device. The question may be for identification of at least one insurance plan and an answer to the question. A database may be investigated to identify a subsequent question associated with the answer provided to the first question by the user, wherein the subsequent question also being for identification of the at least one insurance plan. Thereafter, the subsequent question is presented to the user and a subsequent answer to the subsequent question is then received. Investigating the database to identify a subsequent question and receiving the subsequent answer is iteratively performed in a dynamic and interactive way to identify the at least one insurance plan.

1 . A method of recommending at least one insurance plan to a user, the method including: 
 presenting at least one question to a user via a client device, the question being for identification of the at least one insurance plan;    receiving an answer to the question from the client device;    investigating a database to identify a subsequent question associated with the answer provided to the first question by the user, the subsequent question also being for identification of the at least one insurance plan;    presenting the subsequent question to the user; and    receiving a subsequent answer to the subsequent question, wherein the investigating the database to identify a subsequent question and receiving the subsequent answer is iteratively performed to identify the at least one insurance plan.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the insurance plan is a health insurance plan.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , which includes investigating the database to identify a subsequent question and receiving the subsequent answer is iteratively performed until a number of available insurance plans has been narrowed dawn to a preselected number of insurance plans.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , which includes providing educational information associated with at the subsequent question.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subsequent question includes a product line vectoring question to identify at least one product line to recommend to the user.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the product line vectoring question relates to only those product lines available to a specific user.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subsequent question includes a medical vectoring question to identify at least one insurance carrier to recommend to the user.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the medical vectoring question relates to only an insurance plan available to a specific user.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subsequent question includes plan benefit questions to identify at least one insurance plan to recommend to the user.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plan benefit question relates only to those insurance plans being identified as a possible recommended plan.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of subsequent questions are present to the user, the plurality of subsequent questions including a subset of product line vectoring questions to identify at least one product line to recommend to the user, followed by a subset of medical vectoring questions to identify at least one insurance carrier to recommend to the user, and followed by a subset of plan benefit questions to identify at least one insurance plan to recommend to the user.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the insurance plans are health insurance plans selected from the group consisting of an Individual and Family insurance plan, a short-term insurance plan, a student health insurance plan, and a health care savings plan.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one question includes identifying a geographical location of the user to determine insurance plans available for the geographic location.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one question is a request for a ZIP code to identify the geographical location.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one question includes at least one question selected from the group including a ZIP code of the user, and date of birth of the user.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , which includes: 
 determining if Short Term insurance is available to the user based on the answer to the at least one question, and    if Short Term insurance is available, the subsequent question relates to plan benefit questions associated with the Short Term insurance.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , which includes: 
 determining if Individual and Family Plan (IFP) insurance is available to the user based on the answer to the at least one question, and if Individual and Family Plan (IFP) insurance is available, the subsequent questions are medical vectoring questions associated with Individual and Family Plan (IFP) insurance and relate to the user; and    identifying at least one insurance plan from the medical vectoring questions.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the medical vectoring question includes height of the user, medication information, and medical conditions.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , which includes: 
 determining if Individual and Family Plan (IFP) insurance is available to the user based on the answer to the at least one question; and    if Individual and Family Plan (IFP) insurance is not available, determining if Student Insurance is available to the user; and    if Student Insurance is available, communicating a subsequent question in the form of a plan benefit question relating to student health insurance plans to the user.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subsequent question is a product line vectoring question selected from the group including a duration of desired insurance coverage, if the user is eligible for coverage by Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA), if a preexisting condition exists, and if the user is willing to forego the provisions of HIPPA.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein insurance carriers are divided into at least two tiers, each tier having subsequent questions associated with plan benefits.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subsequent question identifies at least one plan benefit including a Health Savings Account (HSA), comprehensive insurance coverage, and basic insurance coverage.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein when the answer to a subsequent question identifies that comprehensive insurance coverage is required, and wherein subsequent questions are sequentially communicated to identify if the user selects a deductible, an office visit payment and coinsurance payment.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein when the answer to a subsequent question identifies that basic insurance coverage is required, and wherein subsequent questions are sequentially communicated to identify if the user selects to pay out-of-pocket, a lifetime maximum and a deductible.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , which includes: 
 determining a plurality of monetary ranges;    identifying a plurality of insurance plans in each monetary range; and    communicating a graphical user interface displaying the monetary ranges and the a number of insurance plans in each range.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , which includes: 
 monitoring selection of one of the plurality of ranges by the user; and    communicating details of each plan within a selected range to the user.    
     
     
         27 . A machine-readable medium embodying instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         28 . A system to recommend at least one insurance plan to a user, the system including: 
 a graphical user interface module to present at least one question to a user via a client device, the question being for identification of the at least one insurance plan;    a recommendation system to: 
 receive an answer to the question from the client device;  
   investigate a database to identify a subsequent question associated with the answer provided to the first question by the user, the subsequent question also being for identification of the at least one insurance plan;    present the subsequent question to the user; and    receive a subsequent answer to the subsequent question, wherein investigating the database to identify a subsequent question and receiving the subsequent answer is iteratively performed to identify at least one insurance plan.    
     
     
         29 . A system to recommend at least one insurance plan to a user, the system including: 
 means for presenting at least one question to a user via a client device, the question being for identification of the at least one insurance plan;    means for receiving an answer to the question from the client device;    means for investigating a database to identify a subsequent question associated with the answer provided to the first question by the user, the subsequent question also being for identification of the at least one insurance plan;    means for presenting the subsequent question to the user; and    means for receiving a subsequent answer to the subsequent question, wherein the investigating the database to identify a subsequent question and receiving the subsequent answer is iteratively performed to identify the at least one insurance plan.